Second Chance
by Megan Faye
Summary: We can dance here. I'm almost completly pain free here. House gets a chance to redo his date that brought Cameron back to PPTH


Title: Second Chance

Rated: PG

Author: Megan Faye

Disclaimer: Don't Own, Sorry.

Authors Notes: Got the idea while swimming. I have a bad knee, and I hang out in my pool when it gives me trouble. I realized that when I'm there, I have no pain.

_**Fox owns House **_

_**Fox owns House**_

_**Fox owns House**_

"Cameron!" House hollered into the board room, efficiently waking the room up. "Office, Now."

"What?" she asked. The crew was tired, and No one wanted to cross his warpath. House planted himself behind the safety of his desk.

"You came back, and I still owe you a date."

"We tried that."

"But because I suck at life, and we failed. Miserably."

"Not my problem."

"I have a theory," he started. "You were dressed up, I wore a damned tie, and we were in a room full of people. We weren't comfortable. I couldn't be myself and neither could you.

"You were pretty much how you always are."

"And you've never seen me, alone, in my natual habitat since you tried to quit." He stood again as she started to walk away. "Please, don't make me beg."

"Fine." He scrawled something onto a post-it note and stuck it to her forehead. She had to smile at that.

"Tonight at Midnight. Bring a bathing suit. Don't WEAR it, bring it. Wear something comfortable that you would wear out to a movie. No power suits, no heels, just you, comfortable." She looked at him curiously, gave up and wandered towards her desk in the board room.

_**Fox owns House **_

_**Fox owns House**_

_**Fox owns House**_

Cameron took her packed bag from the front seat of her car and walked through the mostly empty parking lot. House's car was there, as was an unfamiliar car. She finally took notice that she was at a closed health club.

A man was waiting for her at the door.

"Are you Dr. Cameron?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Dr. House said to meet him on the basketball court."

"How close to being fired are you for this?"

"I own the place. House is a friend."

"Didn't realize he had any." The man laughed and held the door. As Cameron walked through into the darkened club, the man leaft towards his car.

There was a table with several long candles lighting the court, and two covered plates on the table. A few small lights dimmed around the edges of the room turned this basketball court into a romantic dining hall. She stared around the room a moment longer before House noticed her. The older man hobbled about the table, putting things just right for the impending date.

"Come, sit," he ordered gently, pulling a chair out. As she neared the table, Cameron took note of his attire; jeans, plain blue t-shirt, and his favorite tennis shoes. "Wilson cooked. We have the best vegetarian lasagna I've ever tasted, "The Three Blondes" white wine from Leavenworth, Washington, and for desert; cheesecake."

"Wow, sounds wonderful." When their eyes met, she could see he was trying, really trying. "This is all...very...This is great, House." He smiled briefly and sat opposite her.

"Thank you...for giving me another chance." He was quiet after that, contemplating the situation he found himself in. "So..."

"Why don't you pour the wine?" she offered. House nodded and opened the bottle. As he set the wine down, he uncovered the plates. "This is wonderful!" she said upon tasting her food. "I love Italian!"

"Thank Wilson."

"I will."

"He recommended the wine. Apparently got it on vacation after the divorce was final."

"Does he know you have it?"

"Relax; I ordered it online." Cameron smiled. "Love the earrings."

"House-"

"I'm being sincere this time. They bring out your eyes. Saphire works...works well." She smiled again. The two ate quietly for a time. Cameron noticed the music playing. It was some piano solo that frequently flooded House's office. She was really enjoying herself, and he looked...content to her. "Would you like the cheesecake now, or dancing first?"

"Dancing? How-"

"Go put on the swimsuit, meet me through that door in 10 minutes." He stood and started to walk away. "Change room is to the left." Cameron smiled and walked away. He felt excitement wash over his body, from head to toe. The wine was also getting to him.

House smiled as the door shut behind him. As quickly as he could, House changed into the knee-length shorts. He didn't own a swim suit, and ended up wearing an old pair of khaki cargo shorts. They were baggy, but hid his scars well. House looked in the mirror, please with his appearence. He had to admit, he liked how he looked without a shirt. It was rough, but at the same time, gentle. '_She's gonna be all over this_,' he thought, smiling.

When he got to the pool, the first thing he did was set up his iPod and turn on the playlist. He dimmed the lights, and started to light the candles he's set up earlier. As the door opened, House smiled mischievously to himself. There, at the door, Allison Cameron stood, wearing a black Speedo.

"That one-piece leaves _Way_ too much to the imagination."

"I don't do thongs or bikinis."

"Problem with rectal floss?"

"Exactly. Now, I believe we were going to dance?" He dropped his cane and eased himself down into the pool. She stood staring.

"Well, come on. The water is heated." Allison slipped down close to him. "We can dance here. I can stand. I'm almost completly pain free here," he whispered. "I'm not a cripple here." Allison eased into his arms.

"Dance with me?"

"Love to." Greg held her close and they danced in the pool. The water came up high on her chest, and the ends of her hair were getting wet. "Cameron."

"Allison," she corrected

"Allison," he said. "I just want to tell you that I'm having a wonderful time with you tonight."

"I'm having a great time, too, Greg." He pulled her chin up and kissed her gently.

_**Fox owns House **_

_**Fox owns House**_

_**Fox owns House**_

House limped her to her car after he cleaned up the club. Her wet hair was pulled back into a loose braid, leaving water puddles on her sweat shirt. She grinned as he pulled her into another kiss. Allison could feel him smile into the kiss. He was happy. Greg House was a happy man for the first time since she met him.

"Allison," he whispered.

"What?"

"Thank you."

"For?"

"A second chance." She let him hug her. "I'm still going to be a sarcastic bastard at work; I have a reputation to uphold." Allison laughed. "But I'll be a happy sarcastic bastard."

"I can live with that."

"Can you live with me, though?" he asked.

"Yeah," Allison breathed. "I know...damaged...I don't love...I need...you've ranted all that before-"

"I was wrong." She stared into his deep blue eyes. "You love so much that you hurt. You have so much kindness inside you that it comes out at everyone. You don't need love, you choose love. You choose to give the best of yourself to everyone you meet because you need to release some of this amazing fire inside you. You don't 'Need.' You 'Love.' Granted, you love too much sometimes...-" Before he could complete his thought and quite possibly ruin the moment, Allison kissed him. She kissed him deeply and more passionately than the first kiss in the pool, or the second one in the hot tub, or the third as they cleaned up.

Greg pulled her to him roughly, moaning into the kiss, feeling more than he'd felt in five years. It was a complete crash of sensations running through him as they kissed again; how she felt in his arms, the lingering taste of cheesecake on her lips, the sound of her gasp when he groped her gingerly, and the smell of her perfume. '_GOD she's...beautiful_,' he thought to himself as they parted. '_I saw that she was hot, but I never knew she was so damned **beautiful **_.'

"Allison-" She smiled, stood on her tip-toes, and kissed him gently.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Greg," the soft voice offered. It was quiet and sexy.

"When?"

"Call me," she teased, stepping into her car. He watched her drive away. House waited a full minute before pulling out his cell phone. Silently, he dialed her number, and waited as it rang. "_I meant after we sleep_!" Allison laughed into the phone.

"Meet me at my place in an hour. I'll take you out for breakfast. There's a place near my apartment, opens soon, fresh bread at 5:00am. Then we'll walk back to my place, relax, sleep maybe, and just...does it sound good?"

"_I'll be there_."

"Good." He sighed contently into the phone. "See you in an hour." House hung up his phone and walked towards his car, happy, excited, and content. "Life is good," he said outloud. "_Life is good_."


End file.
